FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 11, 2019·7 min readRave new world: Scientists pry apart party drug’s therapeutic, addictive qualitiesResearchers have distinguished two different molecular pathways responsible for addiction and the prosocial feelings generated by MDMA. The findings could lead to novel treatments for psychiatric disorders marked by withdrawal and social awkwardness.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 3, 2019·4 min readYoung Children and Infants Read to By Parents Have Stronger Vocabulary SkillsReading to infants and young children is associated with stronger vocabulary skills at age three. The findings reveal parents who read to children with genetic predispositions to learning and attention disorders help improve their language acquisition skills.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 2, 2019·3 min readWhy stress doesn’t always cause depressionRats susceptible to anhedonia have more serotonin neurons in the ventral dorsal raphe nucleus. However, activating neurons in the central amygdala reduced the serotonin signaling and lowered the effects of social stress.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·November 27, 2019·5 min readWhy do we freeze when startled? New study points to serotoninWhen fruit flies experience an unexpected change in its surroundings, serotonin produced in the ventral nerve cord slows the insect down. The findings may shed light on the neurobiological mechanisms of human startle response.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·November 24, 2019·4 min readTurning to turkey’s tryptophan to boost mood? Not so fastResearch examines the myths and science behind how the amino acid tryptophan, associated with turkey, affects mood.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·November 21, 2019·4 min readSevere pregnancy-related depression may be rooted in inflammationInflammatory factors appear to contribute to pregnancy-related depression onset and severity. Researchers found elevated levels of IL-6 and IL-8 and reduced levels of IL-2 in blood samples taken from blood samples of pregnant women who reported symptoms of depression. Additionally, they found serotonin was drastically reduced.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·October 23, 2019·5 min readNeurotransmitters in an instantA new method allows researchers to detect serotonin at extremely low concentrations in serum.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience ArticlesPsychology·September 20, 2019·6 min readCommon antidepressant may not reduce depression symptoms, but does reduce anxietySertraline (Zoloft), a commonly prescribed SSRI antidepressant, may not be as effective at treating depression within 6 weeks as previously thought. However, the drug is effective for treating anxiety symptoms.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·September 17, 2019·2 min readHow gut bacteria negatively influences serotonin and blood sugar levelsA new study shows how the microbiome communicates with cells producing serotonin to influence blood sugar levels. The microbiome can worsen metabolism by signaling to cells in the gut that produce serotonin. This drives up serotonin levels. The rise in blood serotonin levels causes metabolic problems.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·September 6, 2019·5 min readHow serotonin and a popular anti-depressant affect the gut’s microbiotaSerotonin and SSRIs like Prozac can have a major effect on gut bacteria. When exposed to serotonin, specific gut bacteria grew to higher levels. However, when exposed to SSRIs, the bacterium grew to much lower levels in mouse models.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·September 4, 2019·4 min readSerotonin may be a biomarker for breathing interruptions following seizuresResearchers say serotonin, a chemical commonly associated with mood regulation, may play in breathing problems associated with epileptic seizures. Those who had higher levels of serotonin following a seizure than before the event were less likely to experience interrupted breathing.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·August 25, 2019·6 min readHighest-resolution human brain ‘parts list’ to date lays road map to better treatmentsResearchers have created the most comprehensive 'parts list' of the human brain to date. They uncovered crucial differences between human and mouse brain cells. The findings may explain why many drugs used in research do not work in human models.Read More